Attitude of Gratitude

In one week, the youngest of my crew will be graduating from high school. Initially the thought of this milestone moment made me feel some type of way. However, as the day draws nearer, and attitude of gratitude has come to the forefront. I’m thankful because I was once a teen mom. Although, by the time I gave birth to my baby daughter I was 22; I wasn’t a teenager any longer, but still very young. I will never forget the day that I had to actually begin caring for all three of my children. After the birth of my third child, my mom kept my two oldest just to give me a moment to heal and recuperate from childbirth. A few weeks later, she called to tell me that she would be bringing my oldest two home. I smiled and said okay, but inwardly I panicked, big time. All I could think about was, how am I going to do this? I started to question my ability to take care of my now three children. I began to feel overwhelmed and anxious. Their father wasn’t there, not because he didn’t want to be; he wasn’t there because he decided to face the consequences of the decisions he had made earlier in life. Knowing this made me even more nervous about being the mother of three children. Then I stopped, took a deep breath, and asked God to give me the strength to raise my babies.

I have an attitude of gratitude because He has been so faithful at granting my request. The countless teacher parent meetings; working full-time and having to come home and prepare a cooked meal; homework checks, doctor appointments, before care and after care pick-ups and drops-offs; paying for field trips, pictures, extracurricular activities when the money was tight; pouring into them when they were being bullied or felt the need to bully; discouraging them from running with the wrong crowd; walking up and down the hallway praying for them; anointing their head with oil as they slept; encouraging them to finish school when they wanted drop out; this list could go on and on. Through it all, He gave me the strength that I needed to care for my children and to be best parent that I could be.

On Wednesday, June 1st as my daughter takes the stage to get her diploma the tears I cry will be tears of joy, excitement, but most importantly gratitude to a faithful God for answered prayer. To the single and young mothers, hold your babies tight, pray for them, and don’t forget that you have and advocate in heaven who cares, so don’t be afraid to draw on his strength. Take care. XOXO